Sources: Central League to divide football schedule based on enrollment

By JOSEPH SANTOLIQUITO For the Daily News

Posted: September 25, 2008

Several sources confirmed last night that there will be a proposal offered to the Central League principals within the week breaking up the Central League football schedule, but no formal split into two separate divisions based on enrollment will take place next season.

The proposal calls for the six small schools to play against the other small schools in the league (Penncrest, Springfield, Marple Newtown, Harriton, Radnor, Strath Haven) five times, with the small schools rotating against four of the large schools (Ridley, Lower Merion, Conestoga, Haverford, Upper Darby, Garnet Valley) every year. It will be a nine-game schedule, the sources said, with Week 1 and Week 11 open to schedule nonleague games.

This season, the addition of Garnet Valley and Harriton gave the Central League 12-teams, with an 11-team league schedule. That gave teams little latitude to play nonleague opponents.

This winter, there will be a formal split in Central League boys and girls basketball. The large-school division will play each other twice, and teams from the small-school conference Small-school division teams will play within the division twice, and cross over to the large-school division teams once. *